Rotary buffet wheel

ABSTRACT

A ferris-wheel shaped display device for various foods such as may be served at a party, the device comprising a rotatable reel supporting a plurality of trays each of which contains a different food, the reel being supported upon a frame that can be moved along a floor upon small wheels or casters.

D United States Patent 1191 1111 3,

Kristy 1 Jan. 8, 1974 ROTARY BUFFET WHEEL 1,785,954 12/1930 Hayes 211/164 x [76] Inventor: Joseph Kristy, Box 1440, t i Y llowknife NW. Territories d 1 1 1,988,917 1/1935 Rauch 211/131 x a a a n FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [221 May 1972 844,400 7/1952 Germany 211/78 [21] AppL NQ; 251,814 317,196 8/1929 Great Britain 2l l/l64 P Ex R 52 US. Cl. 211/131, 211/164 S Bmts [51] Int. Cl A47! 3/14, A47f 5/02 58 Field of Search 211/131, 164,78, [57] AIISTRACT.

211/58 56 95, l 15, 312/135 327 A ferns-wheel shaped d1splay dev1ce for var10us foods such as may be served at a party, the device compris- 5 References Cited ing a rotatable reel supporting a plurality of trays each UNITED STATES PATENTS of wh1ch contams a different food, the reel bemg sup- 690 373 lz/lgol 1 /16 ported upon a frame that can be moved along a floor 1cewaner 949,393 2 1910 Crego 211/164 upon small wheels or casters 1,552,290 9/1925 Fowler... 211/131 2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures ROTARY BUFFET WHEEL This invention relates generally to food display racks such as may be used at gatherings of persons such as at a party, a picnic, a hotel lounge or restaurant.

A principal purpose of the present invention is to provide a novel food display device wherein a relatively large number of different foods are carried upon the device and wherein the device comprises a compact unit so as to take up a minimal amount of space.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a food display device wherein the different foods are placed within a number of trays supported upon a rotatable reel, and wherein the reel may be easily turned manually so that a person may conveniently present the different trays to his view and from which he may select.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a food display device which is particularly suitable for displaying various cheeses, crackers, dill picles or other condiments, candy, potato chips, and the like, and which can serve also as a merchandise display in a store for candy, cigars, etc.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a food display device which includes also a stationary rack beneath the reel and whereupon sandwiches and coffee containers may be placed.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a food display device which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the present inven tion.

FIG. 2 is an end elevation view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one of the food trays or food buckets, and

FIG. 4 is an exploded view showing one of the bars from which the food tray or bucket is supportable upon the reel.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral represents a rotasary buffet wheel according to thepresent invention, wherein there is a supporting frame 11 comprised of a pair of generally U-shaped metal tubing 12, each of the metal tubings 12 at its opposite end having parallel legs 13 extending downwardly, and the lower ends of the legs 13 being provided with casters or wheels 14 so that the frame may be transported across a floor or grounds.

A rack 15 is permanently affixed to the four legs 13, the rack 15 being comprised of a pair of longitudinally extending parallel rods 16 upon which there are secured a plurality of parallel, spaced apart crossbars 17 so to form a supporting surface upon which sandwiches and coffee containers may be placed.

A reel 18 of circular configuration is centrally supported by means of a shaft 19 mounted between the frame metal tubings 12. The reel 18 is comprised of a pair of parallel spaced apart circular disks 20 which are interconnected together by means of a plurality of rods 21.

The opposite ends of each rod 21 have a threaded shank 22 of relatively smaller diameter than the central portion of the rod 21, as shown in FIG. 4 of the drawing, so as to form a shoulder 23 against which the disks 20 can abutt and are then secured by means of nuts 24 secured upon the threaded shank 22.

The rods 21 are arranged around the periphery of the reel. Each disk is provided with a plurality of openings 25.

A plurality of hoppers, trays or buckets 26 shown in FIGS. 3 are each supported from one of the rods 21. The bucket includes an open container 27 having a hinged cover 28 secured thereto and which is upwardly pivotable so as to gain access to the food contained within the container. Such container may or may not be made of transparent material as preferred by the manufacturer.

If transparent, the same will permit persons to observe which food is contained within the container. Upon each end of the bucket, an upwardly extending ear 29 forms a hook which can be hooked over the rod 21 as is evident in FIG. 2. Obviously the bucket thus depends from the rod 21 so that as the reel 18 is turned, the buckets always hang in a vertical position so as to prevent the food from spilling out therefrom.

Upon one side of one of the disks 20, a gear 30 is secured firmly so to rotate with the reel. The gear 30 engages a reversible pawl 31 secured to the frame, the pawl comprising a leafspring member which engages between the teeth of the gear so as to stop rotation of the reel at a precise location and maintain the reel steady against rotation while a person is serving himself from one of the trays. The gear teeth shape allow rotation in either direction when engaging one end of the pawl, or stationarily hold the reel when engaging the other pawl end.

While the present food display device is designed particularly for serving foods at large gatherings, the same device can be designed as a merchandising display in retail stores such as for selling candy, cigars, and other merchandise. The trays may be provided without the covers 28 so that customers can readily serve themselves.

What I now claim is:

1. In a rotasary buffet wheel, the combination of a supporting frame and a reel carried rotatably upon said frame, and said reel supporting a plurality of depending buckets from which the content thereof can be selectively taken, said frame comprising a pair of generally U-shaped metal tubings, each of said metal tubings having its opposite ends parallel to each other and forming downwardly extending legs, the lower ends of said legs being fitted with wheels or casters, a central portion of said metal tubings being connected together by a connecting shaft upon which said reel is pivotable, and a lower portion of said legs being connected fixedly together by means of a generally rectangular rack formed by means of a pair of parallel rods upon which there are mounted a plurality of parallel spaced apart crossrods, said reel being comprised of a pair of parallel spaced apart circular disks, said disks being interconnected together by means of a plurality of rods arranged around the periphery thereof, each of said rods supporting one of said buckets, and a detent comprised of a gear affixed to one of said disks and a pawl engaging said gear being affixed to said frame, each of said buckets comprising an open container having a pivotable cover, the opposite ends of said bucket being integral with a pair of upwardly ex-tending hooks which are removably hooked over one of said rods between said disks.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein said hooks of said bucket are bent around a common same axis. 

1. In a rotasary buffet wheel, the combination of a supporting frame and a reel carried rotatably upon said frame, and said reel supporting a plurality of depending buckets from which the content thereof can be selectively taken, said frame comprising a pair of generally U-shaped metal tubings, each of said metal tubings having its opposite ends parallel to each other and forming downwardly extending legs, the lower ends of said legs being fitted with wheels or casters, a central portion of said metal tubings being connected together by a connecting shaft upon which said reel is pivotable, and a lower portion of said legs being connected fixedly together by means of a generally rectangular rack formed by means of a pair of parallel rods upon which there are mounted a plurality of parallel spaced apart crossrods, said reel being comprised of a pair of parallel spaced apart circular disks, said disks being interconnected together by means of a plurality of rods arranged around the periphery thereof, each of said rods supporting one of said buckets, and a detent comprised of a gear affixed to one of said disks and a pawl engaging said gear being affixed to said frame, each of said buckets comprising an open container having a pivotable cover, the opposite ends of said bucket being integral with a pair of upwardly ex-tending hooks which are removably hooked over one of said rods between said disks.
 2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein said hooks of said bucket are bent around a common same axis. 